Continuing Encounters on the Blue Ridge Parkway

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Its Sunday 9th August and we have now come off the Blue Ridge Parkway. We are now in Tennessee - thats 8 states so far.

As we speak Carol is ironing wet base layer clothes we have washed in the shower. It was 90 something degrees F today so even with duplicate sets we need to wash them constantly as wearing armoured suits over that soon gets smelly!

OK so a little more about the B&B we stayed at in our previous entry in a minute, but first a little more about the Blue Ridge Parkway. It runs along a Ridge mostly surrounded by woodland and forest at heights of up to 6000 feet with frequent lay byes called overlooks giving superb panoramic views of haze clad mountains which stretch back in folded layers as far as the eye can see. Its impossible to really capture it all with a camera.

No commercial vehicles are allowed, no stopping on the road and speeds are kept down to 45 mph. So its possible to cruise all day and see only a few vehicles. Its very peaceful and stress free as there are no stop signs, hardly any junctions and no traffic lights. There are loads of Harley riders posing by there bikes and the occasional Park Ranger patrol complete with radar etc. But hey, it takes all sorts!

Sometimes we are only a short distance from the bustle of a highway or a town but up here you wouldn't know. There is no sign or sound of it. We have spent 6 days on the Appalachian mountains but it seems almost timeless. In fact we had lost track of how long we have been up here.

Now back to the B&B we stayed at 3 nights ago - we decided to come off the Parkway and investigate local country bed and board, but some of the country roads have no paving - not good for one of the heaviest touring bikes. So we diverted down another road and by pure chance passed by the Inn at Orchard Gap, a colonial style farmhouse mansion.

Our bedroom was decorated Victorian style. Our four porter bed was so high it came with a set of steps. The real suprise came with breakfast, which was 4 juices, trays of apple and cinnamon buns, but also scones with home made jams. Then we had potatoe and cheese bake. Finally a massive dish of scrambled egg bacon and local spiced sausages. Five guests could not finish any of the servings. It cost us 119 dollars US (about 72£) for us both.

Apart from our first few days in Canada all our overnights have been found as we travelled. Each one has been an adventure and a memorable experience!

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Photos

The Blue Ridge Experience
Natural Bridge - the Indians with no concept of the possession of land regarded it as belonging to nature, the English Crown appropriated (stole) as their own - the Americans bought it from them for a few shillings

The Blue Ridge Experience - Blue Grass Music
This old timer (Jim Marshall) barely made it from the car park of the Blue Grass Music Museum

Jim Marshall and Friends
But he held a band of ragged musicians together whilst telling stories in the broadest Virginia accent.

The Blue Ridge Experience - Mabry Mill
The old water mill at Mabry on the Blue Ridge. The site represents an example of a diminishing way of life as early as the 1930's. The original owners were almost entirely self sufficient - including building their own house using timber from their own saw mill, blacksmithing and growing crops whilst also serving the loal communities. We later met the descendants of original occupants.

The Blue Ridge Experience - Mabry Mill
Wooden water channels built to divert the local stream to the mill

The Blue Ridge Experience - Mabry Mill
ALthough later moved to this site - the house was built by the same owner in one of the local towns. Notice interlocking joints on the corners of the walls

The Blue Ridge Experience - Mabry Mill
A corn masher or something like that

The Blue Ridge Experience - Mabry Mill
Old seed drill - a simple cam system open and closes a shutter arrangement in the bottom of the hopper

The Blue Ridge Experience - Mabry Mill
Simple technology which still works and is still used

The Blue Ridge Experience - Mabry Mill
I was delighted to see this blacksmith demonstrating on our second (return journey) to Mabry. As a teenager I was taught blacksmithing and alot of other traditional crafts at school = one of the few advantages of going to Secondary Modern (technical high school) as well as a Grammar School (academic school) Alas - these skills are no longer taught in this way - with good reason - but even so a sad loss of skill and understanding of materials

The Blue Ridge Experience - Mabry Mill
Moonshine still